Campfire Yarns
The use of campfires is a practice that has been a part of Aboriginal daily, cultural and social life for many thousands of years. In practical applications, we see campfires as useful tools to cook food and provide warmth and light, and in cultural terms, we see campfires as being communal places to come together, share time, stories and songs. Just as we do today.
A campfire can be a wonderfully enriching learning activity for children of all ages. It provides an opportunity to learn the science behind fire, what causes it and how it behaves, an opportunity to discuss fire safety, and also bring in Indigenous perspectives through exploring traditional uses of fire (fire stick farming for example, or smoking ceremonies).
For younger children, a pretend campfire is also a great activity. Sharing stories around a campfire (pretend or real), especially Dreaming stories, is a great platform for introducing children to an important cultural practice; the oral transmission of stories and knowledge.
Some books to complement this activity include:
